India's protocol on Zika followed: Ministry

The Union Health Ministry on Thursday said that Parliament had been informed about Zika cases in India in March. On November 18 a year ago, the WHO had declared that Zika disease infection no longer constituted a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). According to the corrigendum, "Acute febrile illness surveillance took place between 10 to 16 February 2017, and not 10 to 16 February 2016".

The statement came nearly a week after the World Health Organization said that three Zika cases had been detected in Ahmedabad.

South Korea has confirmed another case of the Zika virus, raising the number of people infected here to 20, health authorities said Friday.

In a separate statement, the WHO said "Although Zika is no longer a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, WHO maintains that vigilance on Zika needs to remain high". "In view of the first confirmed Zika cases, India has further stepped up surveillance".

"This surveillance in total yielded two more cases of laboratory confirmed Zika virus disease (samples collected during January and February 2017)".

"As a matter of abundant caution, measures to contain local transmission were carried out in the affected areas".

The KCDC advises pregnant women and their partners who are anxious about potential exposure to reconsider travelling to countries where Zika virus cases have been reported.

While the National Guidelines and Action Plan on Zika virus disease have been prepared and shared with the states, an Inter-Ministerial Task Force has also been set up.

The Joint Monitoring Group, a Technical group under DGHS, tasked to monitor emerging and re-emerging diseases is regularly reviewing the situation on Zika virus disease.

Acute Febrile Illness (AFI) surveillance and testing of antenatal cases were undertaken by the state government and ICMR in Ahmedabad.

All the worldwide airports and ports have displayed signage providing information for travellers on Zika virus disease and to report if they are returning from any of the affected countries and suffering from febrile illness, the ministry said.